I don't confess to know a lot about nanotechnology, but this kit helps to make the unknown in this field more understandable. What is nanotechnology? It is the branch of technology that deals with dimensions and tolerances of less than 100 nanometers, especially the manipulation of individual atoms and molecules. This kit allows older students to study and access this very small world using hands-on experiments. This kit isn't a toy, it is true research and experimentation with different materials to produce different effects. Students will conduct experiments using the International System of Units (SI) just to help them understand the size of nanoparticles, and then do filtering experiments with the properties of different surfaces; shine a laser through colloidal gold, and learn about the spectrum of laser light electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. These fun experiments for your older learners lay the foundation for higher-level understanding that can be applied to things seen everyday such as how geckos can climb, water-repellent clothes, and much more. The Thames & Kosmos Nanotechnology kit holds the key to whole different world!
"Some of the biggest scientific breakthroughs in recent years involve things that are actually very, very small. The science of nanotechnology deals with the smallest structures, in the range of one to 100 nanometers in size. That's as small as just a few atoms in a row (one atom corresponds to about one nanometer)! With this kit, the intangible, nanoscopic world becomes accessible with hands-on experiments using both scaled-up models and real nanomaterials.
Nanoparticles can be made of different materials and exist in a wide variety of forms thin layers, tubes, balls, and tree-like structures. These particles can be coated onto surfaces, they can enhance other materials such as paint, they can be used as a delivery method for pharmaceuticals in the body, and much more. Specific applications include, for example, self-cleaning house paints and water-repellent clothes, anti-fog coatings on glasses, UV protection components in sunscreen, environmentally friendly antifouling coatings for ships (to prevent algae growth, thereby reducing fuel consumption), antibacterial coatings for medical devices, and materials to more effectively filter dirty water.
Start out by conducting experiments concerning size, scale, and orders of magnitude in the International System of Units, to get a feel for just how small a nanometer really is. Explore how charcoal is like a nanoscale sponge with filtering experiments. Conduct experiments with the hydrophilic (water-loving) and hydrophobic (water-hating) properties of different surfaces, which illustrate nanoscale properties.
Stir up some mixtures and suspensions, and then examine exotic mixtures to learn about the nanoscopic particles suspended in them. Shine a laser through a colloidal gold a suspension of nanoscale particles of gold! Learn about the electromagnetic spectrum, laser light, electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy to begin to grasp how we can make nanomaterials visible. Experiment with a special material that mimics the nanostructures on a gecko's footpads that allow it to climb straight up a vertical pane of glass with ease!
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